Art of Feelings (Art of Series #1)

The Start

"Open the damn door, Solana Aphrodite Versoza!" sigaw ni Kuya Reo mula sa labas. Naka-ilang katok pa siya bago tuluyang umalis.

Salamat naman. I don't think I can face him right now. I'm too broken and a darn mess.

I closed my eyes at pinili nalang na matulog when the door opened. Dang it, I should've just kept that extra key! 

Unang pumasok ang dalawa kong nakakatandang kapatid, sina Kuya Reozander and Gabriel, at sumunod ang sandamakmak kong mga pinsan. Ano 'to? Instant cousin get together party at Solana's room? Buti nalang talaga at medyo malakilaki ang space ng room ko or else para kaming mga sardinas dito.

"Pak ganern!" sigaw ni Ate Nadine nang nasilayan niya ang pagmumukha ko. "Eyebags on fleek, ate girl! How to be you po?" Tinignan ko siya ng matalim bilang sagot pero kalaunan ay ngumiti na rin.

Bigla naman tumawa ang kakapasok lang na si Inaki, "Langya, LanaBear! Hindi ko alam Halloween na ngayon! Ganda naman ng witch costume mo!" Tumatawa ko siyang binatuhan ng unan na ikinasapul naman sa mukha niya. This made everyone in the room laugh harder.

"3 points para kay Solana Versoza!" hiyaw ni Kuya Topher.

"Oh, ano? Nakita mo na hinahanap mo, Aki?" kantyaw ni Lauren sa kapatid. 

Napansin ko naman na nakahalukipkip ang dalawa kong Kuya sa gilid at tinitignan ako ng mabuti. They're not even smiling!

"Mind telling us now? Doesn't matter if you don't want to, you actually don't have a choice anyway," umalingawngaw ang boses ng Kuya ko kaya naman napatahimik ang lahat na naroon.

I clasped my hands together and realized I'm going to tell them sooner or later naman talaga. Hindi naman kasi ako makakapag-pretend na okay ako kapag sila ang kasama. They always find out agad. It's either I'm not good at pretending or they can't just be fooled with my smiles and jokes.

"Mag-promise muna kayong lahat sa akin," saad ko habang isa-isa silang tinignan diretso sa mata. They all looked serious...even Inaki na kanina ay panay ang tawa. "After everything I will tell you, wag niyo siyang saktan o ano man. He is, even after everything that happened to us, still the guy I love." Isa-isa silang tumango na para bang napipilitan lang. Siguro nga ganoon. They don't like someone messing with someone in our family. Lalo na iyong mga lalaki.

Ilang segundo muna akong tumahimik bago nagsalita ulit, "You all know naman na it's our second anniversary yesterday, right? So, naturally, I want it to be special. Since I don't have any class yesterday, I cooked some food para kainin namin sa condo niya kasi nga hindi naman siya marunong magluto and I don't want him to spend a lot of money para lang sa pagkain. I went to his condo hours earlier to set up the table because I have his extra keys. I know na may klase siya nun kaya the timing's perfect. Pero halfway done sa surpresa ko, bumukas ang pinto. So...I quickly tried to finish it all. Silverware lang naman ang kulang kaya medyo madali.

He didn't notice na naroon ako kasi dumiretso naman siya sa room niya. After I made sure that everything is fine ay pumunta na ako sa room niya. I should've been the one who is going to surprise him pero hindi eh. It's me....who got surprised with what I saw."

Napamura naman si Kuya Reo, "Tangina naman...."

"Reo!" saway ni Ate Tori. "Continue, Lana. Don't mind your brother."

"Okay lang sana if nakipag-break nalang siya agad," I shakily said. My tears are already falling nonstop. "He doesn't need to make me look like a fool. He told me he's tired of waiting for me to be ready for that. Masyado daw akong pakipot and he doesn't like it. Ayaw na daw niya saakin. Inamin niya rin na he's doing it behind my back a couple of months already. It hurts, you know? I love him so dearly pero nagawa niya 'to."

Napamura ng marahan ang katabi kong si Ate Nadine, "What an ass."

"Forget him. We're all here naman for you," sinabi ni Claud sabay yakap sa akin ng mahigpit.

I smiled, "Soon, Clau."

Oh, what I'd give for that day to come soon.